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Episode 44: Remembering the Sabbath

The Valley of Grace Podcast
The Valley of Grace Podcast
Episode 44: Remembering the Sabbath
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Remembering the Sabbath Podcast Outline

  • Meaning of Sabbath
  • My Childhood Sabbath
  • Why Did God Create the Sabbath
  • Podcast Transcript:
emotional health, mental health, physical health, slavery, blogging, church, lifestyle, Egypt, Pharaoh, Moses, Egyptians, episode 44, traditions, Passover
Photo by Matthew Henry at Shopify

Welcome to Healing Our Brokenness Episode 44: Remembering the Sabbath.

What does the word Sabbath mean?

Sabbath means to rest or to cease.  Sunday, the Sabbath, was my favorite day of the week as a child.  It still is.  It was a time when I knew that I had that “rest easy” deep down in my soul kind of feeling.  Sundays could be enjoyed to the fullest because Saturday was used as a preparation day to deal with meals, clothes, hair, cleaning, and laundry.  On Sundays, we went to church for a good portion of the day, and if there were no other programs going on at church, we bought a soul food meal from the church, along with pop and pound cake and headed home.  Other times, we stopped at the grocery store’s deli department to pick up Kaiser rolls, crab meat or tuna, and muffins.  The rest of the day was filled with reading, listening to music, and enjoying family time. 

Why did God create the Sabbath?  God created the Sabbath for our benefit.  God didn’t need to rest, but he rested on the Sabbath as an example to us, to remember to take time out to worship and rest in Him on this holy day:  “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Genesis 2:3, NASB)

Another reason why God created the Sabbath is to make sure that we don’t go back into a slavery mentality:   “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5: 15, NIV)  When you are slaves, there are no breaks.  You’re constantly on the move.  You wear yourselves out to the point of exhaustion.  Sabbath puts a boundary around this mentality.  Observing Sabbath demonstrates to God that we know he is more than capable of giving us the strength and endurance that we need to get things done during the remaining six days.  It forces us to meditate on the fact that God’s gift of freedom given to us via the cross is enough.

Dear God,

Thank you for the Sabbath.  Thank you for the realization that we don’t have to work ourselves to the point of exhaustion in order to keep up.  We praise you for your promises, and the freedom that only you can give.

In your name we pray,

Amen 

Thank you for listening to Healing Our Brokenness Episode 44: Remembering the Sabbath. Have a blessed week!

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The Music Aspect: Living With & Healing From Trauma

Today, I am featuring another aspect in the “Living With and Healing from Trauma on a Daily Basis” series. This aspect is that of music. Music can have several effects. It can make you go from feeling relaxed to nervous, anxious, and scared, and then switch over to anger, frustration, and sadness in a heartbeat.

trauma, music aspect, living with trauma on a daily basis, healing, music, church, loudness, softness, music therapy, PTSD, psychology, mental health, emotional health
Photo by Samantha Hurley

Whether you are suffering with trauma/PTSD or not, listening to music can take you back to twenty years of memories that can feel like it was yesterday. Our emotions get stirred, and if we are not careful, we can start riding the waves. You can start thinking about old relationships and all sorts of things.

When it comes to music and PTSD, it can be both a good and bad thing, depending upon the situation. If the music is loud and harsh, with screaming involved, it can cause you to have the trauma symptoms of irritation, dissociation, and anxiety.

Unfortunately, I have experienced all of these. About five years ago, my son was listening to some metal Christian music. I had to ask him to turn it down, then off. It was just too much. The screaming caused the Fear Aspect of Trauma to settle in. I started to feel unsettled in my spirit, along with feeling agitation and anxiousness.

Whether you are listening to loud or soft music, if you haven’t processed memories that are associated with a particular song, you may not be able to tolerate that song or style of music for a while. You’ll usually know if you can tolerate the song/style because you will be able to listen to it without any problems. If the song is intolerable, you usually end up with bad flashbacks or dissociation.

Just recently, I realized that I am fully able to enjoy gospel music again. Starting in 2013, it became hit or miss. Gospel music is associated with attending a missionary baptist church as a kid, leading the choir with my ex-husband, praise dancing, and my roots in general. In order for me to truly appreciate it again, I had to process the important events that this genre held close to my heart. The events weren’t just from one particular time period. They were spread across years.

Recently, my friend invited me to two gospel concerts she performed in. I felt like I was back in the church that I attended as a kid. I knew that this genre had helped me to place the piece of puzzle of my identity in this area back to where it belonged.

Music from the 70s and 80s is also some of my favorites. When I listen to this music, it causes ambivalence. Why? This time period represents a life of simpler times. I have relatives that were alive then, and no longer alive. Community was food, dancing, talking, and enjoying one another’s company. Sometimes, I find myself dancing and crying at the same time.

The more I listen to it, the better it gets. However, I still have moments of extreme grief from trauma, as well as joy at the same time because these memories will forever be in my heart.

How has the music aspect affected your PTSD? Would love to hear your thoughts!